So, I think its unanimous that were all not keen on Formula 1s current trend of races dominated by tyre strategies. So what would you do? You never know, maybe someone from the FIA browsed here 
.
So the current tyre rules are:
- 4 dry compounds about half a second apart of which 2 are brought to each race
- 2 wet compounds
- Each car gets 18 sets of tyres for the whole weekend (6 prime, 5 option, 4 inters and 3 wet)
- 2 sets of prime and 1 set if options are returned at the end of Friday.
- 1 prime and 1 option are returned after P3.
- Drivers making it through to Q3 must start the race on the same exact set of tyres they set their fastest Q3 lap time on.
- Both compounds must be used during the race, mandating at least 1 pit stop.
- No refueling during the race
From the above my personal view is that the requirement to run both compounds in the race needs to go, as does the requirement to start on your qualifying tyres. The ability to run a prime first strategy is removed from the top 10 unless they scrap qualifying. Qualifying should be an out and out fight between 10 drivers, not a luke warm short scrap between 4 or 5 with the rest sitting in the garage.
The problem that brings is that it runs the risk of making races 1 or even 0 stops if the tyres last. To force people to stop the tyres need to wear out, but then that introduces tyre management again, which were all bored of. So there needs to be a reward for scrapping your tyres. The longer goal should therefore be to produce tyres that are 1 second a lap quicker for a consistent period (15 laps or so). That way an all option race can be up to 60 seconds faster than an all prime race, but the flip side needs to be durability that matches. The options need to last half as long (but again, with consistency). So your then looking at a 1 stop prime race, a 3 stop options race, or a 2 stop mixed race.
BUT, this won't work with the current tyre allocations. Drivers enter qualifying with 3 sets of each, and the top guys as a minimum will do 3 runs. They simply don't have enough sets for that and a whole race on a single compound (a 3 stop option race would need 4 sets of option tyres). So they need more. However, we can't just give them more as that will give an advantage to people not making it through to Q3 with extra tyres. We don't want to see people trying to qualify 11th so they have a pile of new options for the race. So I suggest additional tyres that are handed back after qualifying. No advantage for not making it through, but plenty of tyres to push on. Make then the options to, as its qualifying. Ideally leave the drivers with 4 sets of options and 3 sets of primes for the race.
So, in summary:
Scrap the start on qualifying tyres rule, allowing every driver free choice of strategy
Scrap the use 2 compounds rule, allowing full races on the same compound
Give each car at least 2 more sets of options and 1 more set of primes (still less dry sets than they had in the Bridgestone days)
Make them give back 1 of each after qualifying. Keep the other 'give back's rules as they are
In the long term, aim for consistent 1 second a lap differences in the compounds brought to a race, and consistent life in the tyres.
Allow Pirrelli to test at a number of F1 venues before deciding which compounds to bring for the race.
What would you do?
tl;dr - the tyre rules suck, how would you fix them?
.So the current tyre rules are:
- 4 dry compounds about half a second apart of which 2 are brought to each race
- 2 wet compounds
- Each car gets 18 sets of tyres for the whole weekend (6 prime, 5 option, 4 inters and 3 wet)
- 2 sets of prime and 1 set if options are returned at the end of Friday.
- 1 prime and 1 option are returned after P3.
- Drivers making it through to Q3 must start the race on the same exact set of tyres they set their fastest Q3 lap time on.
- Both compounds must be used during the race, mandating at least 1 pit stop.
- No refueling during the race
From the above my personal view is that the requirement to run both compounds in the race needs to go, as does the requirement to start on your qualifying tyres. The ability to run a prime first strategy is removed from the top 10 unless they scrap qualifying. Qualifying should be an out and out fight between 10 drivers, not a luke warm short scrap between 4 or 5 with the rest sitting in the garage.
The problem that brings is that it runs the risk of making races 1 or even 0 stops if the tyres last. To force people to stop the tyres need to wear out, but then that introduces tyre management again, which were all bored of. So there needs to be a reward for scrapping your tyres. The longer goal should therefore be to produce tyres that are 1 second a lap quicker for a consistent period (15 laps or so). That way an all option race can be up to 60 seconds faster than an all prime race, but the flip side needs to be durability that matches. The options need to last half as long (but again, with consistency). So your then looking at a 1 stop prime race, a 3 stop options race, or a 2 stop mixed race.
BUT, this won't work with the current tyre allocations. Drivers enter qualifying with 3 sets of each, and the top guys as a minimum will do 3 runs. They simply don't have enough sets for that and a whole race on a single compound (a 3 stop option race would need 4 sets of option tyres). So they need more. However, we can't just give them more as that will give an advantage to people not making it through to Q3 with extra tyres. We don't want to see people trying to qualify 11th so they have a pile of new options for the race. So I suggest additional tyres that are handed back after qualifying. No advantage for not making it through, but plenty of tyres to push on. Make then the options to, as its qualifying. Ideally leave the drivers with 4 sets of options and 3 sets of primes for the race.
So, in summary:
Scrap the start on qualifying tyres rule, allowing every driver free choice of strategy
Scrap the use 2 compounds rule, allowing full races on the same compound
Give each car at least 2 more sets of options and 1 more set of primes (still less dry sets than they had in the Bridgestone days)
Make them give back 1 of each after qualifying. Keep the other 'give back's rules as they are
In the long term, aim for consistent 1 second a lap differences in the compounds brought to a race, and consistent life in the tyres.
Allow Pirrelli to test at a number of F1 venues before deciding which compounds to bring for the race.
What would you do?
tl;dr - the tyre rules suck, how would you fix them?
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